Question on ready-made coops from tractor supply

[Minjojojo]

I haven't heard good things about these coops and hear they only last a few years if that. It is also cheaper to build your own especially if you have materials that you can repurpose. I'm building a coop that is based off the store bought ones and it has only cost me around 70 dollars so far to build of course I still need some supplies but I don't feel that I'm going to spend over 110-120 dollars to build. Plus I think my coop is bigger then what the farm store ones are and I have the option to expand it in the future if my chickens need more room.

I have never built anything before -
I’d imagine something I build to be as atrocious as this monstrosity, if not worse:

I’m jealous of your handiness.

 

[llombardo]

I have that coop and I like it. I did seal it, I added more locks, carbiner on nest box lock and another layer of hardware cloth in most areas bolted down. It is on 2x4s. I'm doing more stuff for winter.

I have ducks also and I would not use this coop for them. The ramp is to steep and I don't think that 2 ducks(if that) would fit in the top enclosed area and they need more ventilation.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

I wish I could, but sadly I’m a law student with no useful building skills nor experience. I’m lucky if I can hang a picture frame on the wall correctly.

Just go ahead and get it, it's not THAT bad as people make em' out to be.... I've seen some videos on that exact coop on Youtube (look it up yourself) and it has work for them. Sure it's not as sturdy as a home-built coop but for someone who's not a handyman and unable to invest the time money sweat and tears into hand building a coop..... at only $199, I'd say it's a damn bargain! And it's not like the thing doesn't work, it works, just not at the advertised amount of chickens it's able to house.

 

[Tortoise]

Do what I plan on doing. Buying a prefabbed. All the design and guts are there. Then add reinforcement to it where ever needed. I am handy and my husband too. Getting the stuff needed home from store is hard for us and my hub isn't so fast at building and works a lot of hours. Will be easier to remake what's already made.

 

[snow5164]

Just because it $199 ( which is not cheap ), I wouldn’t buy it .

Ducks love water and a coop made from compressed sawdust and glue won’t hold up to any water .

Ask at a hardware store many handy men have business cards there and would build you a small coop , tell them your budget ,

Having seen these in a store , there’s a reason it’s that price .... good luck

 

[Tortoise]

Just because it $199 ( which is not cheap ), I wouldn’t buy it .

Ducks love water and a coop made from compressed sawdust and glue won’t hold up to any water .

Ask at a hardware store many handy men have business cards there and would build you a small coop , tell them your budget ,

Having seen these in a store , there’s a reason it’s that price .... good luck

Do you think they are worth it though with some work done on them? For someone that just can't build one. I have had handy man work done. They aren't building anything like a coop and run for under 1000. At least not in my area.

 

[snow5164]

Nope , because the “wood “used to make them is not real solid wood.

If you want it so bad , you could buy the best exterior paint you can afford and paint everything inside and outside to try to get it water proof . Lower it to the ground so the ramp isn’t so steep and try it . You could get a year or two out of it and then you could buy a real coop

Good luck

 

[Conan]

Are your ducks going to be in this coop and run at all times or just locked in to sleep?
I agree with other posters that the ventilation is not good enough for ducks and they will turn it into a sloppy, moldy poop mess in no time. If your ducks are out and about during the day, I'd use a Craigslist Dogloo and modify by making a sturdy door with hardwood and hardware cloth (this is exactly what I did for an emergent situation). Even if you're not handy, you can make a door

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Do you think they are worth it though with some work done on them? For someone that just can't build one. I have had handy man work done. They aren't building anything like a coop and run for under 1000. At least not in my area.

Don't listen to these naysayers..... for only $199 it's a good buy. Yeah, you can build your own but you're looking at paying 4x as much and not to mention all the hard labor work you have to put into it.......... just get one of these things for two hundred, an hour or two to set it up, and you're good to go! Some of the folks in here act as if these things are made out of graham crackers or something, there's online review of this exact same coop that's been holding up for a few years (make sure to coat coop with water sealant).

 

[MissChick@dee]

I have one. It grossly OVERSTATES how many truly can FIT in it. If it says for 8 chickens trust me the true (humane) number is 4 as adults. If your breeds are small then maybe 5. My husband more than doubled the size (blew out the back with an addition) and I only keep 4lg. Breed birds. Overcrowding causes problems you just don’t want.